Triumph Dining Tries Asian Box’s Tasty Gluten-Free Fare

Last week some of the Triumph Dining crew headed out for lunch. As I’m Celiac and even the tinniest amount of gluten could make me horribly sick for days, the hunt was on for somewhere that not only does gluten-free options but where cross contamination wouldn’t be a risk. Some restaurants with shared kitchens do a much better job than others of working to keep Celiacs safe, but you can’t beat a 100% gluten-free facility!

After some research we decided on Asian Box, a relaxed restaurant whose mission is to make delicious food which stays true to the ingredients and style of authentic Asian street food. As an avid gluten-free traveller my favorite way to soak in the culture of a new place is to sample the street food so I was very excited to try this place!

Asian Box is great for Celiacs because not only is everything on their menu gluten-free, their entire facility is gluten-free taking away the risk of cross contamination. It’s extremely rare to find restaurants like this so when you do it’s a big deal and you can’t wait to try it!

When you get in line at the restaurant staff present you with a menu and a pen so that you can choose what you’d like whilst waiting to be served. First you choose your base (brown rice, jasmine rice, asian salad or rice noodles). You then select which type of meat, tofu or shrimp you would like, whether you would prefer your veggies steamed or wok tossed and lastly, which add-ons and sauces you would like. Everything sounded fantastic and interesting, so of course I opted for all of the add-ons. How often does a gluten-free girl get to choose whatever she wants from a menu!? All of the ingredients were fresh and delicious and there were all sorts of flavours jumping out at me with every bite. This gluten-free girl was very impressed. We all were. Whether you’re gluten-free or not, this place cooks up some tasty grub.

If you fancy a side to your asian box they do Shrimp Spring Rolls, Tofu Spring Rolls, Glass Noodle Salad and Jungle Jerky. In pre-Celiac days I loved spring rolls but it’s literally been years since I’ve eaten them so I couldn’t resist ordering some shrimp ones. They come with a side of peanut sauce and they are amazing!

Asian Box is currently only in the San Francisco Bay Area, however, this type of establishment definitely make us with Celiac hopeful that more restaurateurs across the US and abroad can open a Gluten-Free facility serving delicious food where Celiacs and non-Celiacs alike can enjoy a great meal. Make certain to put it on your list of places to eat if you are in or travelling near Palo Alto, California!

You can find Asian Box in the Town & Country Shopping Center on 855 El Camino Real in Palo Alto. They are open Monday thru Saturday 11-7 and Sunday 11-5. They also do catering for events. http://asianboxpaloalto.com/

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